Feature :- Culture, surviving Summer

         Floral Art :- "Hot Stuff"

February 6^th. Committee meeting 8pm at A&H Millward 26 Glenmore St.

Feb. 20^th. Regular monthly meeting at Legacy Hall Macquarie St

         Feature :- General question night and discussion re summer care of all orchids.

         Floral Art :- "Valentine Influence"

        Feature :-

        Floral Art :- "Green Arrangement"

April 7^th. Committee meeting 8pm at J&T Dicker 166 Carella St. Howrah

April 21^st Regular monthly meeting at Legacy Hall Macquarie St

        Feature :- Auction night

        Floral Art :- "Song Title"

The Tasmanian Orchid Society Inc. disclaims all liability against any loss or damage, which may be attributed to the use of any article or material mentioned in Greenhood. Contributions express the views and opinions of the contributor and are not necessarily those of the Tasmanian Orchid Society.

The deadline for all articles is the Friday, ten days prior to the monthly meeting. No Exceptions.

Welcome to a brand new year, where did 2011 go, don’t blink in a hurry.

The festive season is over, eight children and grand children have returned to Sydney and the house is quite again, Christmas tree to be taken out to revive for the next year and decorations put away. I hope every one of you had an enjoyable time and are now relaxing with your orchids.

The December Christmas meeting went extremely well, the food was great, actually good practice for later in the month. Father and Mother Christmas (thank you Jan and Trevor Dicker for playing the parts) arrived with Rudolph who had a flashing red nose, they presented all attendees a present consisting of a Sarcochilus seedling, bundle of stakes, bunch of labels, packet of easyclip stem ties and a bunch of green ties, more than the cost of annual membership I suspect. Thank you Bev Woodward for putting them together and the wrapping.

The hot days have been a little testing, watering and keeping up the humidity with Masdevallia etc has gone very well, noticed I have one Draculla with four spikes and a second with seven, keeping fingers crossed that nothing untoward happens to them, should make a good show if they make it to a meeting.

The native Dendrobiums have suffered somewhat from too much sun and drying out quickly, resulting leaf drop and bare canes. Thankfully they will flower off bare canes. I was talking to Ray Clements, Tinonee Orchids just be Christmas and he said they were getting lots of new soft growth and his concern was when the high temperatures hit he would lose some of those plants when water becomes trapped in the growth and over heats killing the cell structure, be careful in watering on hot days.

March is our AGM and all positions on your management committee will be up for election. The success of a club relies on a strong committee and positions being filled by willing participants. The current committee have worked extremely hard during the year and I hope they will continue on for a further term. New blood with new ideas are always welcome and I look forward to seeing others becoming involved. Let your committee know what you would like to see in the way of topics/events considered by the committee to make meetings interesting for everyone.

January is the last meeting for Cymbidiums and Sarcochilus seedling competition plants, the odont. seedlings sold at the November and December meetings should also be brought to the January meeting. The committee are considering another genera for competition purposes.

Don’t forget the barbecue on Sunday 26 Feb. at Tolosa Park, Hut 12.

It is most important that people attending the monthly meetings sign the attendance book. This is required for insurance purposes, if you don’t sign you are not covered and cannot claim in case of any accident.

Members are reminded that the society has an extensive library of orchid books and magazines which are available to members at our monthly meetings at Legacy Hall. This library is here for your use so please make use of it. The librarian is Graeme Chequer.

Well we have come to spring and the warmer weather and the sunny days are allowing us to see the hidden world of the Sun orchids (Thelymitra). These are some of the most amazing orchids as they only open on a warm sunny day. Although they are very difficult to identify, we were able to narrow down how to identify the Thelymitra on a TPT (Threatened plants Tasmania) field trip to the Peter Murrel Reserve at Blackmans Bay last weekend. The main groups are large blue or blue with spots, small blue or with spots, pink and yellow.

Caladenia clavigera (Clubbed Spider Orchid)

Ahh, Spider orchids are some of the greatest looking of all. I was very pleased to find these as there was only a small patch of 5 or 6 and they were well camouflaged. For the most part spider orchid’s leaves and stems are covered in fine hairs. Flowering Times: Mid September to November, Found at: Clifton Beach Conservation Area

Diuris sulphurea (Tiger Orchid)

This was the first Tasmanian native orchid I saw in the bush of Tasmania last summer and was the one that got me hooked on finding more. The great shape and bright colour make it an orchid that really stands out in the bush. Flowering Times: October to December, Found at: Clifton Beach Conservation Area.

Microtis Species (Onion Orchid)

The Microtis orchids have very small flowers which make it difficult to identify , it could be and is most likely Microtis arenaria, by the looks of the lateral sepal and the fact that they are growing in sand (arenaria = Growing in sand). Flowering Times: October to December, Found at: Clifton Beach Conservation Area.

Thelymitra Species (Sun orchid, Spotted)

As was noted earlier, these are very difficult to identify, but after close study I would go with Thelymitra juncifolia, but I could be wrong. The sun orchids are out at the moment, and on our field trip to the Peter Murrel reserve with the TPT (Geoff Curry) we saw upwards of 6 different species. Most Thelymitra flower between October and December. Found everywhere.

The TPT trip with Geoff Curry

On Saturday the 5th a group of orchid enthusiast all met up at the Peter Murrel Reserve to hunt out some orchids, and hunt we did and found so many Amanda and I had never seen before. I think the highlight of the trip was the little colony of Pterostylis plumose, the Bearded Greenhood. This would have to be the craziest and best native orchid I have ever seen. I’ve included a list of what we saw.

Caladenia alata, Prasophyllum concinnum, Thelymitra species, Calochilus robertsonii, Caleana major and Caleana minor.

I have been contacted by Bret Moloney from Queensland who is after orchids in the Masdevallia Dracula alliance and also had orchid seed available. The list of seed is too long for the newsletter but will be put up on the TOS website. The list does include many Northern Hemisphere terrestrials, Cypripediums, Dactylorhiza, Ophrys and Orchis His letter follows:-

Attached is a list of the orchid seed that I have. The seed highlighted in yellow is either in the lab now, or I am not willing to share as I will keep it for business purposes. However, the other seed is either open to swapping or joint flasking. All the Ophrys are for joint flasking only. I have yet to locate someone who has the skill to germinate them, but from what I see, its not so hard to do. A friend of mine in the USA is doing it and I have asked him about how he does it. So if I can’t locate someone to do it, then maybe I will get a friend here in Brisbane to do it at his flasking business.

If anyone is interested in swapping seed, they are welcome to email me. I will have to check that the seed is still available at the time.

I plan to keep importing seed from my friends around the world. AQIS has told me that as long as the package with seed is less than 5 samples, it does not necessarily need to go to inspection and that it can be inspected at the post office by the authorised person there. It is important though that the seed be easy to examine. That means it comes in easy to open paper envelopes (I recommend non waxed cooking paper to make them) or in clear glass or plastic sealed tubes. I use 1.5 ml micro-centrifuge tubes as they are perfect. You can normally get them on Ebay cheaply. Also I find seed stored in these tubes is less prone to infections when flasked.

I store all my seed at 4^oC in the bottom of the refrigerator. I achieve this by raising the fridge to the maximum cool setting (not the coldest) and this normally gives about 4^oC in the vegetable crisper. I put the seed tubes/envelopes in a large sealable jar or plastic container as it must be airtight. I add about 500 grams of silica crystals to keep everything dry. I bought the silica crystals on Ebay for about $20 a kg.

The orchids I am looking for are

Trisetella sp. (in particular T. hoeijerii)

Masdevalia (Dryadella) lilliputana

Any Lepanthes species

Dracula lotax

Draculas (in particular with some warmth tolerance)

Best regards

Spring has been a good season giving the plants good growth, keep the growth going with plenty of high nitrogen fertilizer and water and good air flow.

As soon as the longest day has gone [Dec. 21^st.] it is time to change your fertilizing program, to a more solid food, low in nitrogen, high in phosphorus and high in potassium, commonly branded Blossom Booster. Only do this for your flowering size plants, your seedlings still need high nitrogen to boost growth.

Until the end of Feb. or when the hot whether has passed, keep plenty of water up to your plants, watering only in the early morning. Water in the evening on hot days to cool the plants down, once the weather has cooled down only water in the mornings and discontinue damping down. Watering will need to be less frequent as the weather cools during March.

You can continue with any potting on but avoid dividing plants until it is cooler. About the end of March, and into April is a good time to catch up on any dividing of plants that you missed before the hot whether arrived, this gives them a chance to get established before winter, and gives them a good start in spring. Be very careful of the nice new growths [ they could be a spike ]and roots at this time of the year, if you break them this will retard the plant growth.

Watch out for Slugs and Snails, they can do a lot of damage, particularly if you have early flowering varieties.

Maybe summer has finally arrived. I’m writing these notes on New Years Day 2012 and there is a definite improvement in the weather.

One short term benefit from the late arrival is that many of the plants haven’t started new growths or roots yet giving me the benefit of an extended potting season.

In the longer term it is essential that the summer-autumn growing period is extended at the other end to enable plants to fully develop their growths before the cold sets in. A genuine Indian Summer is required.

The following are a few pointers to help the plants do their best for you. They are not in order of preference.

1. Orchid books tell us that most laelias and, to a lesser degree, oncidiums require bright conditions to grow and flower well.

That doesn’t mean we burn their bums off with inadequate shading. The best test is how you feel when you walk into the growing area on a hot sunny day.

If you’re not comfortable, neither are the plants so think about increasing your shade either by heavier shade cloth externally or erecting some marix cloth inside.

Marix cloth is a lightweight material designed specifically to create shade and I know President Jim did have some surplus to his requirements. Ask him. It is relatively inexpensive and with care will last for years.

In my case I gave the glass house a heavy external spraying with Parasolene (another option for you) when the interior became uncomfortable to work in. One good spraying is normally enough for the summer but all the rain has washed it off so another coating will be applied as soon as the wind goes away.

2. Make sure your plants receive adequate water through the growing season. This is difficult to quantify as growing conditions vary but as a guide I’m watering every 3-4 days with my bark-gravel mix and this is complimented by daily misting of the plants and growing area which also helps to keep the temperature down and give a buoyant growing atmosphere.

3. A well regulated fertilising program over the growing season will certainly help plants to give of their best. At the moment I’m using Aquasol with a high nitrogen content to promote rapid growth but by the time you read these notes will have changed to Phostrogen to put strength into the plants and promote flowering.

There are heaps of fertilisers out there that I know nothing about but Wayne Dawes, one of our top growers, is well versed in the subject so ask his advice. I do this regularly but by the time I get home have forgotten what he told me.

What strength: one quarter the recommended dose every 10 days or so is popular but I would suggest that through the active growing and watering period every 7 days would be beneficial.

4. Ventilation. Orchids in nature are free spirits, luxuriating in constant air movement. We lock them away in enclosed growing areas and expect them to adapt to our conditions.

Most glass houses have inadequate ventilation. Roof vents, or high end wall vents, are an essential to let summer heat escape as is a fly-wire door to let fresh air in and keep the beasties out.

I am a strong advocate for the use of strategically placed electric fans to assist air movement. Most fans are sealed these days but any I’m not sure of are covered with a plastic bag when I’m misting. Water and live electricity are not a good mix.

Gentle air movement is all that is required. I use small fronds of maiden hair fern hung on thin cotton above bench level when I’m checking that air movement is adequate.

Pay particular attention to corners. These often hold pockets of stale air which, with an overlooked plant or two, make ideal breeding areas for scale, mealy bug and the like.

That’s enough to think about for now so cross your fingers for a long gentle summer and autumn and enjoy your orchids.

Your sarcochilus should be in active growth at the moment. Don’t get too carried away with the term active growth, as sarcochilus are slow growers at the best of times.

There are some considerations that are important for good growth:

Fertilise regularly with a complete liquid fertiliser at half strength or less.

Water regularly, but make sure that your potting mix is open and gritty, so that it lets plenty of air in and does not go gluggy. When should we water? At this time of the year, the best time is late in the day and every day (see below).

Keep insects, particularly sucking ones like mealy bug, aphis and scale under control. Systemic insecticides are most effective, but take care when using them as most are extremely hazardous to health. Spraying monthly at this time of the year works well.

A good general fungicide will help keep fungi at bay. These are generally less toxic, but take care.

Humidity at night is the key to good growth. Sarcochilus will take low humidity during the day, but for good growth humidity must be high at night.

Temperature is important. As a general rule, sarcochilus will grow well in day temperatures of 18^oC to 28^oC. Growth will be fine down to 15^oC and up to 30^oC. Below 10^oC and above 35^oC sarcochilus will not put on growth. Sarcochilus will grow quite happily in a bush house or on a verandah in a frost free area. They do not necessarily need a glasshouse.

Most sarcochilus will prefer bright light to dull light, but that does not mean full sun. It is best nice and bright, but out of the sun.

Here is a quotation from "Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) in Orchids" by Ben Wallace, an article in "Growing Orchids in Cool Climate Australia" CAM is a form of photosynthesis and all sarcochilus are CAM orchids. Dr. Wallace has done considerable research in this area and his advice should be heeded.

"Specific points to bear in mind in growing CAM plants:

- high humidity at night helps maintain favourable water balance in CAM plants

- low humidity during the day may not be detrimental to maintaining good water balance in CAM plants

- relatively high light intensity appears to be important

- moderate night temperatures (say 5 – 15^oC) are needed for efficient carbon assimilation in the CAM system

- moderately strong day/night fluctuation of temperature favours CAM efficiency

- CAM is an adaptation enabling plants to maintain favourable carbon uptake in water- stressed environments"

Sarcochilus grow on the trunks, branches or twigs of trees or sit on rocks. These are water-stressed environments during the day. At night the temperatures drop, mist rolls in and the humidity rises. Therefore watering at the end of the day during the summer is the way to go.

It's great to see all the suppressed growth from last year raking off and the new shoots around the edge of the pots. A continuation of the warm weather will ensure growths develop fully, mature and start flowering m the spring. One problem that comes with hot weather and new growths is the trapping of water down in the soft growth and hot burning sun during the day heats the trapped water and cooks the soft tissue of the new growth.

Early morning watering is onc defence and not doing heavy overhead watering during the heat of the day is another. If you must reduce the temperature and increase the humidity in your growing area, water under the benches and on the paths.

Although mounted plants are not as susceptible to this problem they do need additional attention during the current spell of hot weather. To ensure plants receive adequate moisture, fine misting will be of great benefit.

Potting on can continue but be careful with new growths and roots, water well and after repotting, keep plants shaded until they have re-established themselves properly.

Aphids are still about (they don't all just stay on the roses) when sighted don’t leave one because it soon becomes a 1000 and once new leaves are damaged they will never recover.

Attention to detail now will pay off in the spring with a fine flowering.

Roots are always seeking moisture, and should by now have filled their pots. So, to achieve our objective, we are concerned with almost daily watering, although the last few weeks haven't warranted that yet. When the weather does warm up, remember water early in the day if it is forecasted to be a 'scorcher' and don't forget to get the hose head or rose down under the leaves to get the water into the compost, otherwise it will splash off and around rather than where it should go.

Pleiones do appreciate a good misting in the evenings. Always keep them in a cool, but bright spot in the garden, under a shady tree would be good especially if it can provide early morning sun as well. You don't need a greenhouse or a shade house for this lovely genus.

Continue with high nitrogen fertilisers (Campbell's Blue 30:4:8 N.P.K) or Aquasol (23:4:18 N.P.K with trace elements) but always in weak solutions; on a weekly basis. I try to vary the applications of fertiliser, occasionally they might get a feeding of Seasol or a very weak mix of liquid fowl manure. Even the local birds do their bit too. Their drinking station is just above where I have my pleiones, so their droppings on the leaves all get watered in as well.

Slugs and snails are ever present, I usually find six to eight in the bottom of the baby bath when I give each pot a good soak once a week.

It is a good practise to pick up each pot and check it over for aphids and any other predators. Have not so far had any problems with aphid, the ladybirds seem to be doing their job well.

One point worth remembering is, pleiones have an annual growth cycle, where last year's bulb will produce one or two and sometimes three new bulbs, the old one gradually shrivelling up. They are similar to gladioli in that regard, so don't separate the new growths from the old at this stage.

Our first calendar is printed and ready for sale. We hope that you like the end product and support your orchid society by purchasing it.

I know that I will be making my Christmas to buy list easier this year by giving a calendar, for $10 it must be the buy of the year.

The calendar will come in an envelope which will protect it and also can be easily mailed.

I will have some available at our next general meeting and also for sale at the show.